Upscale Audio and Primaluna

ebm7: Over the years, many people have made negative remarks about Kevin. Maybe he's a bit of a prima donna? But you're wrong about Tannoy speakers being passé. IMHO designs other than those with concentric drivers are hopelessly compromised. However, only Tannoy Prestige speakers are worth having.    

I remember a buddy of mine was interested in a new pre-amp upgrading from his existing Mark Levinson unit (forgot which one).  He went to Upscale and they seriously pushed the Prima Luna top pre-amp. I told him to look at the Audio Research REF 6 pre-amp.  

The salesperson at Upscale told him with a straight face that the Prima Luna unit was way better than the Audio Research unit.

I told my friend that although the Prima Luna unit was nice, no way on this planet was it even close to the Audio Research unit..

So, while they were pressing him. I told him to Contact Randy at Optimal Enchantment.  Randy let him "borrow" the Audio Research REF 6.  He purchased the Prima Luna unit with the understanding that he could return it for a full refund.

He compared both units in his system in an A/B comparison.  It wasn't even close.   I rarely say one unit will blow another away, but the REF6 just was heads better than the Prima Luna unit.  Which already knew because I heard both before.

Upscale owns a part of Prima Luna and pushes it hard. Again, don't get me wrong.  They are nice units.  But to lie and say it was better than the REF6, hell, it wasn't better than a REF 3. 

Tell the truth.  if a unit is better then say so.  if the customer wants to pay the costs difference, that should be their choice.


Hearing the units in the same system (taking into account cost differences) is important. A re-tubed REF 3 is better.  That automatically means that a REF 5, 5SE are also better.

But, for the money, it is a nice unit.

 I thought to save money and purchase replacement tubes for my REF250 amps from Upscale.  Never again!!! They were supposed to be matched and within Audio Research specs.  They weren't close. 

Shortly after replacing all the tubes and biasing the amps (yes, I know how to correctly bias amps, one of my amps blew.  The tube went and took out several other components including integrated circuits.  My DAC also blew at the same time as a result.  To this day the technicians and  I can't explain that one.
But,George Meyer AV techs tested each and every tube in both amps and found them well outside Audio Research specs.  it cost me well over $3,000 usd to repair that amp, and I purchased Audio Research supplied tubes.

I'll spend the extra money on Audio Research supplied tubes for my amps from now one because 1) they will be matched and within Audio Research specs and 2) if they fail and damage the amp, Audio Research will cover the repair.

Expensive lesson learned. 

anyway, Prima Luna is good, but come on, be truthful.

enjoy

I’m Very happy with my Primaluna preamps. EVO 300 and Dialogue Premium, One with a tube amp and one with a cheap SS amp respectively and they both sound wonderful! Upscale has been good the best packaging ever and never tried to upsell

How is it possible for someone to call your system "deficient" if they haven't heard it?

I did some research before I settled on a Mac C2700/Ma275 Tube setup and my second choice was PrimaLuna EVO 400. If you look at the PL circuit board it tells a story. Unalytic Polypropylene Capacitors and independent relay line inputs are quality design features. In essence they spared no expense on the circuit design. My decision to go with the Mac was the C2700 PreAmp has a DAC, MC/MM Phono stage which are not available on the Prima Luna line. As far as Upscale Audio, they’re a good outfit but you have to keep in mind that Kevin Deal is a salesman. He’s a techie and he know’s his stuff but in the end, he’s a salesman.